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Southwest School fourth-grade teacher Dawn Pollutro addresses her colleagues during the convocation for elementary teachers, paraprofessionals and staff at the convocation at Torringford School in Torrington on Monday. Bruno Matarazzo Jr./RA

TORRINGTON -- Southwest School teacher Dawn Pollutro was a new teacher in the district 14 years ago and awe struck when she learned her mentor for her first year would be the district's teacher of the year.

Her mentor, Joan Kawecki, was one of many educators in Pollutro's teaching career who have influenced her and guided her to be the best teacher she can be. They each played a part in Pollutro herself being chosen as the district's teacher of the year.

"I am proud to say that I have faith in the village that has raised me to be the teacher I am today," Pollutro told her colleagues on Monday who gathered at Torringford School for the convocation. "Because of all of you, I recognize that today's role of educators extends far beyond the responsibility of passing along information and lecturing. Twenty-first century educators must empower students to think, analyze, communicate, collaborate and problem-solve."

Although classes don't start until Wednesday, it was back to school for teachers and most staff as they embark on a new year following big changes in education in Connecticut, including new teacher evaluations, Common Core state standards and a curriculum based on those standards.

Superintendent Cheryl F. Kloczko addressed the staff at the start of the convocation, stressing the teachers need to give themselves time with the new curriculum written by administrators and staff last year as they implement it.

Kloczko urged the teachers to see what strategies work, discuss issues with their colleagues to determine what's working and what isn't.

"If it isn't, that's OK too. Because that's what it's all about in being a teacher. You have to take a look and examine our practice and there's nothing wrong with that. Because we're dealing with something that very few professions deal with, and that's little children," Kloczko said.

Throughout her career, Pollutro, 41, was not afraid to ask for help and not embarrassed when some teachers offered their help without even being asked.

It was Pollutro's first year as a fourth-grade teacher when she was admittedly teaching a "canned" formula for essay writing and was about to tape a diagram on the chalkboard demonstrating it.

Patty Pickard, a teacher who held writing workshops for her colleagues, walked into the classrooms, saw the diagram, told Pollutro in a stern voice, "No, no, no!" then went in front of the class, took down the diagram and started the lesson.

Pollutro admitted her ego was bruised, but she grabbed an empty seat and started taking notes along with her students.

"I knew that Patty did it out of love and her passion for excellence. I learned that day that mistakes will happen and some lessons may totally bomb but that's all right because it's what we learn from our failures that counts," Pollutro said.

Pickard is now retired but attended the convocation along with her parents, her husband, daughter and her parents-in-law.

Pollutro, a Torrington native, graduated from Torrington High School in 1990. Being a teacher in her hometown wasn't her first dream. She went to New York City with dreams of being a dancer. She went to school at City College of New York, where she earned a degree in dance education.

She danced on a few tours with dance troupes but later moved back home, teaching at the Warner Theatre and at Connecticut Dance Theater in Watertown, now in Waterbury. Injuries forced her to stop dancing as a career and she continued doing what she loved: working with children.

She attended St. Joseph's College and started a job at Vogel-Wetmore School after spending a year at Torringford School as a long-term substitute teacher. She has been at Southwest School for the past four years.

Susan Lubomski, curriculum director for elementary schools, credited Pollutro's work to develop the new fourth-grade math and reading curriculum to the new state standards and her involvement with Camp Invention, a new weeklong summer camp for students in grades fourth through six to promote STEM, an emphasis on science, technology, engineering and math.

Along with being teacher of the year for the district, Pollutro was teacher of the year for Southwest School. Each school had a teacher nominated. This year the nominees were Kathy Ann Campbell from Torringford School, Erin Ducotey-French from East School, Lisa Rosa from Vogel-Wetmore School, Cindy Marchell from Forbes School, Roberto Ortiz from Torrington Middle School and Armando Zarazu from Torrington High School.

Pollutro, who was chosen by previous teacher of the year winners, will now have her name and application forwarded to the statewide competition.

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